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1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-40 | 41-50 | 51-60 | 61-70 | 71-80 | 81-90 New problems added 9-24-06 #81 Card Combination Dlr: South North S. AJ5 D. 7642 C. 763 South S. KQ9 H. J652 D. AKQ C. AKQ South West North East 2C Pass 2D Pass 2NT Pass 6NT All Pass Opening lead: DJ Plan the play Solution You have 9 top tricks with at least two more available in hearts plus the possibility of a 3-3 diamond division. Win the opening lead with the DQ, the honor that West cannot hold, DQ and lead a heart to the queen. If it loses you will be able to test both the diamonds and the hearts after cashing your black suit winners. If the HQ holds, return to your hand with a club and lead a second heart towards the king. If West wins the ace, you have 12 tricks. If the king holds, your best bet is to lead a third heart and hope for a 3-3 division. The key is the way you have attacked hearts leading up the king- queen twice catering to Ax in the West hand. The West hand: S.
1072 H. A9 D. J10983 C.
1085 #82 What a Hand! Dlr: West North South West
North East South Opening lead: HK You win the HA (nice play) and bang down the SA, East discarding a diamond. Plan the play. Solution Your hope to get to dummy with a trump to take the diamond finesse which is likely to work on the bidding, has just vanished. Now what? What you have to do is play each and every one of your trump reducing to the AK6 of clubs and the AQ of diamonds. Say East has the DK. If so, East must hang on two diamonds and if East started with a likely five or six clubs (remember, East was void in spades and figures to have but two hearts), East will be forced to reduce to three clubs and two diamonds. You then play the ace-king and a club throwing East in and forcing East to lead a diamond from his hoped for king. The West hand:
S. 943 H. KQJ10983 D. 8 D. Q5 THE BOTTOM LINE When you don't have an entry to take a finesse, keep in mind the possibility of a throw-in that will force an opponent to lead the finesse suit. #83 Jacks or Better? Dlr: East North S. AK9853 East
South West North * 15-17 Opening lead: H9 You play low from dummy and East wins the HQ, with the HA, and shifts to the CQ to dummy's king. You lead the S10 to the ace, West playing the jack. On the SK, West discards a heart. Just for drill you play the ace and trump a club East following with the 6 and jack. You can't delay it any longer. How do you play the diamonds? Solution Count points: East has turned up with the AKQ of hearts, the QJ of clubs and the SQ for a total of 14 HCP. If East had the DA, he would have been too strong to open 1NT holding the DA, 1NT, but needs the DJ to get up to 15 HCP. Play East for the DJ, lead up to the DK and run the D10. The West hand:
S. J H. 98765 D. A73 C. 8754 THE BOTTOM LINE As a defender playing against an opponent who has opened a strong notrump (15-17), assume declarer has 16 HCP; you can never be off more than one point. However, if opener refuses an ivitational bid of 2NT, assume 15 HCP, rather than 16. As a defender it is almost always right to play cards you are known to hold. When South leads the C9 from dummy, East plays the CJ, a card he is known to hold from the previous lead of the jack.
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